Wells vary in the quality of the produced hydrocarbon fluid over their lifespan. In order to establish hydrocarbon producing wells, first, drilling is conducted to generate wellbores passing through subterranean formations which may have hydrocarbon reservoirs. After drilling the wellbore, perforation and fracturing processes may then be conducted. During the perforation phase, a perforation gun may be introduced downhole and activated to penetrate and form perforations in the side of the wellbore. The perforations extend and form holes a distance into the surrounding hydrocarbon containing formation. Fracturing processes may optionally then take place to lengthen or widen the perforations to improve hydrocarbon flow.
Hydrocarbons can be recovered via their own natural drive mechanisms which can have a multitude of sources, such as a pressurized gas cap under a cap rock, or a bottomwater drive. Natural drive reservoirs may be enhanced with other enhancement operations, however some reservoirs require enhanced operations to be economical. A popular enhanced recovery method is hydraulic fracturing. After fracturing or any other enhanced recovery operation (steam injection, water flooding, CO2 injection, acidizing, etc.), production processes may be conducted. Production equipment can be placed downhole to withdraw hydrocarbons from the reservoir. Hydrocarbons can be produced in this way for long periods of time, for example many years. As time goes on, the fraction of hydrocarbon may decrease and water fraction increase, thereby decreasing the efficiency of the produced wellbore. This percentage or ratio is typically referred to as water cut or water oil ratio (WOR). This phenomenon is sometimes referred to a coning, which can consist of any of the following: production of water in an oilwell with a bottom water natural drive, production of gas in an oilwell with a gas cap natural drive, and production of water in a gas well. Coning is a rate sensitive problem, meaning wells flowing at high rates are subjected to the migration of less desirable drive fluids/gases. To optimize well production, a well could be flowed at its maximum flow rate just below where the migrations take hold. Accordingly wellbores are evaluated and monitored to assure optimal production and use over their lifetime. Depending on results of monitoring, additional processes such as an intervention or flow rate adjustments can be carried out to improve production, or alternatively, the wellbore can be closed.